Executive summary: Climate change threatens the lives of millions and the ecological integrity of our planet. As the reality of rising temperatures continues to outstrip research findings, it is becoming clear that we are approaching a ‘tipping point’ - the window of opportunity for avoiding runaway climate change and its catastrophic consequences is rapidly and inexorably closing.As electricity and energy consumption increases in many developing countries, the energy generation choices made over the coming years will have profound consequences for the planet’s climate, as well as the lives and livelihoods of billions of people.Developing countries must guard against becoming locked for decades into expensive and unsustainable patterns of energy production, transmission and consumption. The promotion of nuclear power as the answer to climate change is a dangerous diversion from the real solutions: a massive uptake of renewable energy and the adoption of energy efficiency are the only effective ways to combat climate change. They are available now, they are clean, they are cheap, and they have the added benefit of providing energy security.